


Substitute

by TeaRoses



Category: Hellsing
Genre: F/M, WAFF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-27
Updated: 2010-02-27
Packaged: 2017-10-07 14:07:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/65879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaRoses/pseuds/TeaRoses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Seras's first date turns out to be a prank, Walter decides to take her out for the evening himself. (Gonzoverse)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Substitute

"Do you think vampires should go out on dates?"

Walter nearly fumbled with the blood bag as he put it down. He had long anticipated this development, but hadn't at all expected Seras Victoria to ask him this question.

He turned to face her. "Well, I suppose it depends on the vampire, now doesn't it? Your master seems to prefer to avoid such things and I imagine his potential dating pool, whatever that would be, is grateful. But you're asking for yourself, I imagine."

Seras laughed.

"So one of the soldiers has finally had the intelligence to ask you out for the evening? I fail to see why you shouldn't go."

She dropped her eyes. "His name is Alan Martin. He seems like a nice man, and it's not as if he doesn't know what I am. And he's not my commanding officer and I'm not his, so there's no official Hellsing rule."

"If you're worried about what Sir Integra will say, I'm certain she won't concern herself with anything of this sort. I think you should enjoy yourself." He almost added "while you are still young," but that didn't seem right under the circumstances.

"It's not just that though," she said. "I haven't got anything nice to wear. He said we might go to a club, and I'd really like a new dress. I suppose I could take a bus, but it's been ages since I've run any kind of errand outside the manor."

"I'll be happy to take you out in one of the cars late tomorrow afternoon," answered Walter promptly. He knew she would have no problem going out at that hour. "Will that be soon enough?"

Seras nodded happily. "Oh yes, he's not taking me out until Saturday. That's very kind of you, Walter!"

He waved a hand in dismissal. "It's nothing. I'll meet you tomorrow around four o'clock in front of the main entrance."

He had been working for over ten hours by four o'clock. When he went to the front she was there, smiling again, wearing blue jeans and large sunglasses. She repeated her thanks to him as he opened the door for her and he reassured her that it was his pleasure. And it was a pleasure, to take a lovely young woman out for an afternoon drive, but he didn't say that out loud.

He was wondering if he should offer to go to the café and meet her later but she asked him if she could have his opinion on her purchase. "A man's opinion. I haven't been on a real date."

"In how long?" he asked her curiously.

"In ever. I was so busy. I went out now and then in groups, or for coffee. But not a real date."

That struck Walter as deeply wrong, but he simply said, "Good that you have a chance now, then."

He sat on a chair near the fitting room, expecting to have to impersonate a bored husband, but Seras was quite efficient. She quickly pulled three dresses from the rack and came out of the fitting room a few minutes later in one of them.

"What do you think, Walter?"

She stood before him in a white satin minidress. It fit her perfectly, and despite her condition her skin had a natural tone that was not too pale for white. Walter was having a terrible time keeping his eyes off the more prominent portions of the dress.

"I'm not sure how much the opinion of an old butler counts, but I think you look absolutely lovely."

She grinned, then quickly covered her mouth, and went to pay for the dress.

She spoke of her upcoming date further as Walter drove her home.

"I know I can't have a boyfriend, really. I suppose it wouldn't be right." Walter was about to disagree, but she continued.

"But just to go out for the evening with someone who sees me as a woman and not a creature, that means a lot."

Walter thought of her that way, but that was another thing he didn't say.

Seras thanked him again when they got back and jumped out of the car after he opened the door for her. He hadn't seen her so happy since he could remember, and he decided on the whole he was very glad this Alan Martin had asked her out. He only hoped Alan realized his own good fortune and conducted himself accordingly.

On Saturday as night approached Walter was already beginning to wonder if Seras was out on her date yet. He himself was still busy, listening along with Sir Integra to Captain Newman's weekly report.

After the report, the talk turned to other matters. Walter was about to leave for a quiet night off when he heard Captain Newman say, "Oh, I almost forgot. I need your advice on transferring Lieutenant Martin temporarily. He turned out to be something of a troublemaker but if we keep him away from his mates perhaps he'll shape up."

Walter lingered in the doorway.

"Has something happened?" Sir Integra asked.

"Nothing serious. From what I can tell he took a bet he could ask Seras Victoria out on a date and stand her up. I overheard some of them having a few laughs about it. I warned Seras about him just before I came here but I'm sure if he asked her she turned him down. She can't be thinking of dating, considering everything. It's nothing really, but it's disrespectful and that bothered me. I'm thinking a few months in Ireland or Scotland will improve his attitude."

Walter thought to himself that Alucard putting the fear of vampires into Alan Martin might improve his attitude even more. If that didn't work, he had another plan involving wires.

But what about Seras? She had pretended to Captain Newman that the question hadn't even been asked. Walter had a brief mental vision of her wearing that dress, sitting on the edge of her coffin and crying her eyes out. Then again that wasn't quite Seras's style; she had more backbone than that. But she probably felt crushed. It was supposed to be her first date.

He listened as Integra agreed to the transfer. He decided to go see Seras himself, though he couldn't think of any way to make her feel better about this.

Seras opened her door immediately when he knocked. She was still wearing the dress, but as he had predicted she looked more angry than weepy.

"I suppose Captain Newman told you. Can you believe the nerve of that horrible man? What the hell did I ever do to him that he had to play a trick like that? It's not like I came on to him either. He started the whole thing."

She looked down at her dress, sadness finally showing on her face. "I guess I'll change back into my uniform now. At least I didn't end up waiting for hours."

Walter had a sudden idea. It seemed a bit insane, but he had to at least suggest it.

"You know, if you'd still like to go somewhere, I could take you."

Seras looked surprised. "Would you really?"

"It wouldn't be the same, I know. But it might be interesting."

Seras actually seemed to be close to smiling. "That would be nice, actually. If you really wouldn't mind?"

"Mind? No. Just let me change; I can't go out for the evening in this," he gestured to his butler outfit.

Walter didn't have many evenings out. He enjoyed music and films, but mostly at home in his room, and many of his nights off were spent reading or making weapons for his personal collection. He went back to his room and changed into a gray dinner jacket and a striped tie, choosing a gray ribbon to tie his hair back. "This will do. Well, it will have to."

He called for a car to be brought to the front and went back to Seras's room where she was waiting. She was actually smiling now, and wearing a pair of wire-rimmed sunglasses. He thought to himself that no one would notice her eyes, and that he himself would rather see them, but he wanted her to be comfortable so he didn't say anything.

He expected her to hear more about the treachery of Lieutenant Newman but she didn't mention his name as they walked to the car and began to drive.

Walter had originally thought of simply taking her for a walk in the city, but suddenly he changed his mind. There was no sense letting that gorgeous dress go to waste. He pulled the car up to a large club and parked it.

"It's jazz night here, if you're interested?"

Seras nodded. "That sounds like fun."

They got out of the car and began walking to the club. "There's even a dance floor. Though I don't know if you'll find anyone your age to dance with."

He had been serious, but she looked at him in joking reproach. "You mean you're not even going to ask me yourself?"

Walter smiled. "I'd be honored, I'm sure."

The band was fairly good in Walter's opinion, and there were many couples dancing. The crowd was varied, but no one there seemed to be quite as young as Seras, or quite as old as Walter either.

Seras asked to sit down at first, and a waitress offered them drinks. Seras insisted that Walter have something, so he ordered a soft drink. After seeing her look at it longingly, he told her a sip wouldn't hurt. "Alucard drinks wine, after all."

She took the glass and he watched in some fascination as she drank from his straw and handed it back. He was still a bit bemused at being out on the town with Seras, even if he wasn't really her date.

She moved her head slightly to the music. "I have to confess something though, Walter."

"Yes?"

"I don't listen to much jazz, and I've never really done this sort of dancing."

"Ah. Well, if you follow my lead, you should be fine. If you're still interested?"

She nodded. "Definitely."

He rose and held out his hand to lead her to the dance floor. When they arrived he put one hand on the small of her back and took the other. Murmuring occasional instructions, he began to lead her in a simple dance step, and soon she was following along quite well. It had been a long time since Walter had been close to a woman in this way, and he knew he was enjoying it far too much, but he told himself it was just a dance.

They kept dancing for several songs, with Seras improving her skills and beginning to look up from her feet.

"Do you think people are staring at us?" she asked at one point.

"And wondering why you're dancing with your grandfather?" he asked her.

"I doubt anyone's mistaking you for my grandfather. We don't even look alike."

He was about to point out that he was nonetheless certainly old enough, but she knew his age.

"Then why did you ask if they were staring?"

"Perhaps they think we look good together," she replied.

He just smiled and asked her for one more dance.

The band took a break next and they shared another drink. Seras finally spoke of the date she hadn't had.

"This is probably a nicer place than wherever Alan Martin would have taken me. Those clubs are so loud." She looked at Walter appraisingly. "And I doubt he would look quite so handsome."

Walter suspected he was blushing. "Well. Thank you. I certainly never expected to have such a lovely companion this evening."

Seras asked him what his plans had been, and he confessed that they had involved a book and being alone. They discussed books for a while. She hadn't read many of his favorites but expressed an interest he appreciated. Soon the band was back and they rose to dance again.

He couldn't help looking at her, her shining hair and her lovely form in the white dress. She had her sunglasses on, but he could still look into her eyes. He had always known that she was beautiful. But during all that time he had known her, he had never had a chance to be so close to her. He taught her some more complicated steps, and soon they realized they had been dancing for hours.

"I should bring you home," he said finally.

She nodded, looking like she felt the same regret he did. They got into the car and sat in a companionable silence. He was thinking of her, and he wondered what she was thinking of.

When they got the front drive he decided to leave the car and walk her to her room, as that seemed only fitting. On the way he asked her if she'd had a nice time.

"Why certainly, didn't you?" she answered.

He laughed. "Of course I did. But I know it wasn't quite the same as a real date."

"Well you dressed up and took me out dancing. What isn't real about that?"

They were standing in front of her door now.

"I'm glad you had a nice time," he said. "It was the best night I've had in a very long time."

She still hadn't turned to enter her door and it occurred to him that a real date ended in a kiss. Clearly in this case it was meant to be symbolic, though. He leaned over to give her a brief peck on the lips.

Seras removed her sunglasses. Before he quite realized what was happening her hands were laced behind his neck and she was kissing him in a very non-symbolic and highly enjoyable manner. She eventually pulled back, grinning, as he stood there slightly breathless.

"Good night, Walter."

"Good night, Seras Victoria."

He walked down the hall then, wondering if there ever could be another excuse to ask her out again.


End file.
